The Midsummer Festival

Held during the first week of Midyear, the Midsummer festival is a grand gathering for many peoples in Banteave. It has evolved over time from an ancient Antari tradition to a modern Banteavan celebration. It can be as modest as a small county fair or as grandiose as the yearly royal celebrations in Redehall City. The events that make up a Midsummer festival can vary depending on the milieu and circumstances. The major festival in Redehall boasts the following events spread out over several days:

Day One - The Festival Begins, with merchants crowding the streets and performers busking on street corners.
Night One - The Revelry. A grand party sweeps through the city. Taverns throw their doors open, and great halls are filled with riotous celebrations.
Day Two - The Tournament - Jousting, grand melees and feats of marksmanship are performed before commoners and royalty alike. Some years also feature Dunefalli wrestling, and the newest squires are announced before the crowds, while the young fresh-faced knights who have just received their rites in the past year make their public debut in the tournaments, seeking favour and acclaim.
Night Two - The Feast. The casks are broken and the tables filled with the finest meals available
Day Three - The festivities culminate in a grand ceremony at the Abbey of Painted Glass, where the Church of the Six Saints blesses the coming harvest and prays for another good year for the Banteavan people.

History

This was originally an Antari ceremony that worshipped the Sun, performed after the crops had been sown to celebrate their growth. The Norvalled invaders incorporated the ritual into their own seasonal rites, and thus the Midsummer festival was born.

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